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(No Model.)

B. G. AOHESON. PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS. No.343,099.

Patented June 1, 1 886.

N PETERS. PhomLilhngr-whar. Waskinglon. n.0,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIcE.

EDVVARD G. AGHESON, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,099, dated June 1,1886.

Application filed January 26, 1886. Serial No. 1559,1 30.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. Aeuusou, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes oflvlanufacturing Electric Conductors, of which thefollowingisaspccification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of electrical conductors; and ithas for its object to improve the mode of manufacture i rsuch a way asto prodneea cheap and effective conductor, thatis flexible and durable,and at the same time will avoid the disturbances d no to induction fromneighboring wires.

To these ends my invention consists in the method substantially ashereinafter pointed out for manufacturing conductors,and in moreparticularly describing my invention re ferencc is made to theaccompanying drawing, in which is indicated one form of appa atus bywhich my improvements may be carried out.

The line-wire or conductor Av is covered with some insulating material,1- preferably consisting of a fibrous cJveri ng saturated with somehydrocarbon having a comparatively highmelting-point, as asphaltum. Thismay be applied in any usual and well-known manner, not necessary toillustrate in the d rawin Over thisinsulating material form a metalliccovering or shield, preferably of copper dcposited by electrolyticaction, and in order to do this cheaply and effectively I pass theinsulated conductor A B through a boxer receptacle, 0, containingpowdered graphite. This graphite will adhere to the insulating covering;but to insure its uniform distribution' rubbers or brushes may be used,as is usual in such instances, to produce a thin uniform coating of theplumbago or lead. The conductor is now in condition to receive thecoating of copper, and in doing this I prefer to cover it, first, with athin metal surface and sub sequently build up upon this coating to thedesired thickness. The deposition of the first coat requires a currentof comparatively high electro-m0tive force to overcome the resistancedue to the graphite; but I have found that the shield is more flexible,durable, and suitable for the purpose designed when the greater part ofthe deposition of the metal is more (No model.)

slowly performed and by a current of lower electro-motive force and ofgreater quantity. Various arrangements may be adapted for carrying outthis part of the invention, and l have shown one that .l have foundconvenient. The insulated conductor, with its covering of graphite, ispassed over a metal wheel, \V, in to the bath M. of electrolytic fluid,and one end, a, of the circuit of the electric generator G is connectedto the wheel and the other end, I), to aplate, lL-ofcopper,forinstanceimmersed in thebath. 'lhis bath may be comparatively short,and l have indicated a cur- .rent ofcomparatively high clectro-motiveforce as passing through it by including the three cells ofbattery inthe circuit. From this bath the conductor passes toanothersimilar thoughlarger bath, which in practice may be aprac' tical continuation of thelirst, and thence through the bath and out over another roller, \V',which is connected to one branch of the circuit from the enerator, theother being connected to thelargep'latc K. lhave shown threecclls ofbattery connected inseries in the circuit of the lirstbath and a singlecell in the circuitoflhesecond bath. "lhe eleetro motive force of thecurrents used will depend upon the thicknes; of the two coal-s of metaldesired, as well as the conditions of the electrolytic fluid and othercom'litions well known to those skilled in the art.

It will thus be seen that while the operation is practically continuousthere are, in fact, two kinds of deposits made upon the conductor, whichcombined give it great strength and flexibility, and the shield isformed over the insulating material of a uniform thickness.

I have found that by making thc'baths of.

proper proportion and using proper strengths of current the conductormay be fed along continuously, and the operation be expeditiously andeffectively performed. lVhile any suitable electric generator may beused, I hate derived very satisfactory results from an improveddynamoelectric machine having a uniform field of force, which gives anunusually steady current of great quantity and low electro-motive force.I have also found it ad vantag'eous to coat the electro-deposited shieldwith a metallic alloy having a low meltingpoint, and to do this I simplypass the conductor through a vessel containing the alloy in a fusedstate, and allow it to adhere to the copper shield, and I have shownsuch an arrangement at H, and as the conductor is rapidly passed throughthe alloy it does not receive a heat sullicient to injure the insulatingmaterial. 7

The conductor may be further covered with insulating or protectivecoverings in 'any of 10 the wellknown ways and to suit the purpose forwhich it is to be used.

One arrangement '1' have found useful is as follows: Two separategenerators of constant elect ro-1notivc force are used, having arelative power of live to one, the former being used to apply the firstor interior layer of copper. The bath consists of a saturated solutionof sulphate of copper, and the wire is passed through the baths at therate of about twentyfive feet per hour. The anode and cathode havesubstantially the same superficies and are about two inches apart, andthe temperature of the bath varies from 33 to 70.

Of course I do not limit my invention to any of the above-specifieddetails, as they may be any or all varied, as will be evident to thoseskilled in the art.

Various modifications of my invention will suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art, 0 which do not depart from the spirit of theinvention, and which are not necessary to be specified here. I am awarethat it is not new to use a current ofhigherelectro-motive force at thecommence 35 ment of the deposition, and then to continue the deposit bya current of lower electromotive force. My invention dili'ers therefromin that I continue the use of the current of high electro-m tive forceto produce a substantial layer 1; of con paratively hard,'brittle, andcrystalline 4; deposit, and then by reducing the electroj motive force Iproduce upon said first layer a substantial layer of softer and moreflexible deposit, thereby producing a conductor having the necessaryflexibility and tenacity, as well as eheapncss.

The method of forming electric conductors, which consists in coveringinsulating cond uctors with an electrolytically deposited 5c shield byfirst depositing a comparatively hard 1 crystalline layer, and thendepositing upon the same a comparatively soft and flexible layer,substantially as described.

2. The method of forming el'ectric conduct- 5 5 ors which consists incovering them with an eleetrolytically-deposited shield of difl'erentlayers in one continuous operation by passing the conductors throughbaths of different size and supplied with currents of differentelectromotive forces, substantially as described.

3. The method of forming electric conductors which consists in coveringthe insulated conductor with a metal shield, electrolytically depositedin layers of different degrees of hardness, and covering the same with ametal alloy by passing the conductor through alnolten mass of the alloy,substantially as described;

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribi g witatnses.

nnwARo e. ACHESON.

\Vi tnesses:

Gino. J. MEN-Ion, IB. 1. BURNl-IAM.

